The hacker collective Anonymous has struck government websites again, this time the U.S. Federal Trade Commission and the National Consumer Protection Week websites. According to the Associated Press, “both sites were replaced with a violent German-language video satirizing the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement, or ACTA.” Apastebin page to which some of the Anonymous associated Twitter accounts are linkingoutlines the message that was distributed by the hackers, as well as a link to the violent video mentioned in the AP article.

ACTA is an international treaty aimed at curtailing copyright infringement, counterfeit and pirated goods, and other forms of intellectual property theft across multiple member states. The agreement is meant to provide a framework for member countries, which have differences in legal systems and practices, to work together cooperatively “to address the problem of infringement of intellectual property rights, including infringement taking place in the digital environment, in particular with respect to copyright or related rights, in a manner that balances the rights and interests of the relevant right holders, service providers, and users.” In light of controversy over the Stop Online Piracy Act and Protect IP Act, ACTA has generated a good deal of discussion and debate in the same political and activism circles. Some fear it’s too much government intrusion for a solution that they believe may not ultimately address the problem adequately anyway. Others have argued that while such legislation may be flawed, the need to protect against international stealing online does exist.

Subscribe

LC on the Airwaves

The Legal Stuff

All data and information provided on this site is for informational purposes only. Content on the "Posts" pages in particular contain commentary, and represent solely my opinion and not necessarily that of my employer, relatives, friends or anyone else with whom you might wish to try and take issue (in other words, please don't hate email anyone but me). Libertychick.com makes no representations as to currentness, accuracy, completeness, validity, or suitability of any information on this site and will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its display or use. Multiple sources of public records information are consulted wherever possible to support statements made in posts, but as always, you should consult multiple sources of information yourself to make your own determination as to the accuracy of any content. This disclaimer applies not only to content authored by the blog-owner, but also to comments posted on this blog by site visitors. Every effort is made to block or remove any comments that are evidently harassing or threatening in nature, or that pose an obvious risk of causing damage or injury to another party. While I encourage open debate and challenge as much as I do positive feedback, I reserve the right to delete any comment for any reason. Any link to 3rd party content is not an indication of endorsement by either party. Of course, I am only human and may miss something in the moderation process. So if you see something that does not appear to comply with my own disclaimer, simply email me and I will willingly address it. All information on this website is provided on an as-is basis.